


consider it rent

by itisjosh



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Bonding, Developing Friendships, Fluff, Gen, Gift Giving, Healing, Light Angst, Like very light angst, Platonic Male/Male Relationships, Platonic Relationships, Ranboo-centric (Video Blogging RPF)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:16:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28784814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itisjosh/pseuds/itisjosh
Summary: "Since Tommy took your last axe, I figured you might want a new one, so.." Ranboo shrugs, holding out the Netherite axe. "I made you one. If you don't want it, you don't have to take i-"Techno holds up a hand. "It's..perfect, Ranboo. Thank you." Ranboo smiles."You treat me like a person. It's the least I can do."
Relationships: Ranboo & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 721





	consider it rent

Ranboo shifts uncomfortably in the cold, trying his best to avoid the larger snow piles, careful to not accidentally show any of his skin. He tugs his hood a little closer to his head, wishing that he didn't have to wear five layers of clothing every time he wants to leave the house. Ranboo knows that, logically, nothing is going to happen to him. He has two pairs of socks on as well as waterproof boots that go to his knees, just to keep his feet safe. He's got a shirt on as well as a jumper over that, a jacket to go over his jumper, and then a massive coat to go over that. Phil sewed most of his clothes, made them thicker, stuffed them with wool. They're heavy, but for a good reason. Along with everything else, he has a hat on and two pairs of gloves, which makes moving his fingers extremely difficult. 

He can't really complain, he thinks. After all, Ranboo _was_ the one who wanted all of this clothing, just to be safe. He knows that snow doesn't quite hurt him as much as water does, but when it melts..he sighs. Ranboo listens to the snow crunch under his boots as he walks, gripping the axe in his hands a little tighter. It's beautifully crafted, with golden patterns weaved into its hilt, shining brightly against the dull black and grey of the rest of the axe.It's pretty, Ranboo thinks. It's got points at the top of it, jagged edges on the brunt of it, and everything about the axe is so sharp and gorgeous. Ranboo has never been an enthusiast for weapons, but he can recognise amazing craftsmanship when he sees it. 

Ranboo hopes that Techno will like it. 

Ranboo would like to think that Techno will like it. He's seen the designs of his previous axe and tried his best to replicate that, but he knows that it isn't going to be exact. He thinks that it's customizable enough that, if Techno just really hates it, Ranboo can fix whatever it is that he hates about it. Ranboo sighs as he walks, wishing that the blacksmith he commissioned the axe from didn't live so far away. He would have teleported back and forth, but Ranboo knows how shit he is at controlling his powers. 

No wonder L'manberg stopped wanting him. No wonder they closed their borders to him, no wonder its citizens tried to execute him. 

No wonder he started to become useless. 

He trudges through the snow, listening to the cries of warblers that sit on tree branches. Ranboo turns, tucking the axe under his arm, raising a hand to wave at the birds. They sing back at him, flapping their wings and leaping off of their branches, flying towards him, landing on his shoulders for a few brief moments before they fly off again, disappearing into the foggy distance. Ranboo laughs, adjusting his grip on the axe again. He's always liked the birds that reside in the Antarctic Empire - they've always been kind to him. Everyone in the Antarctic Empire has been kind to him, and Ranboo wonders what he's done to deserve that.

Ranboo spots a figure by the house, watching as the pale blue cape sways from behind the man. "Techno!" Ranboo calls out, not bothering to hide the axe in his hands. He doesn't really think that he needs to. "I, uh, I've got something for you," he watches as the man turns his head, his ears pricking up. Techno turns fully, and Ranboo can see his eyes widen for half a second. "Since Tommy took your last axe, I figured you might want a new one, so.." Ranboo shrugs, holding out the Netherite axe. "I made you one. If you don't want it, you don't have to take i-"

Techno holds up a hand. "It's..perfect, Ranboo. Thank you." Ranboo smiles, wondering why it comes so easily to him. Techno seems to drag the best parts of him out, and Ranboo isn't sure why. Even Phil hasn't been able to make him smile so easily. No one's been able to do that before, and Techno just _manages_ , he doesn't even have to try. Ranboo would like to think that he does the same for the Piglin-hybrid, but he isn't sure. 

"You treat me like a person. It's the least I can do," Techno laughs, ducking his head as he takes the axe from Ranboo's hands. He turns it over, running his fingers along the hilt, tossing it up into the air and catching it again. "I hope that you like it," Ranboo smiles. "Um, I can always try and fix it, if you don't. It's already got some enchantments," he gestures to the runes that run up and down the metal of the axe. "Sharpness, I think. And mending, but I'm not sure. You can always add to it." 

"Ranboo," Techno rests his arm on the top of the axe, slamming its hilt into the snow. "You've already done more than enough. In the good way," he clarifies. "Where'd you even get this from?" Techno asks, pulling the axe back out of the ground, fidgeting with it some more. "I've never seen anythin' like this before," he murmurs. "It's..nothin' like I've ever had before. Thank you, Ranboo, really. I don't know what else to say," Techno admits with a nervous laugh. "I really don't..I never expected you to.." 

The Enderman-hybrid blinks, not entirely sure what to say. "Well, uh.." Ranboo ducks his head, tugging the hood off of his head, taking off his hat. He runs his hand through his hair, glancing away from the Piglin-hybrid. "Let's just call it rent," Ranboo looks back up, beaming. "How's that sound? You don't have to thank me for just..paying my debts, right?" Techno grins at him, his eyes a little softer than they had been.

"Ranboo, you and I both know that this isn't rent. But I'll take it," Techno breathes out. "I've got somethin' for you, too, actually," Techno leans back on his heels, staring up at the sky for a second. "It's not as cool as the axe, but..you'll probably like it. Hopefully. I'm assumin' that you will," he reaches down into his cloak pockets, pulling out a crown. It's black and white, shining like it's made from ebony and ivory. It has red and green jewels embedded into it, the green on the left and the red on the right, both of them shining brightly along with the ore it's made from. "Since you gave me your last crown, I figured that you might want a new one. And I, you know," Techno shrugs, looking away. "Figured that it matched your aesthetic, and all that." 

Ranboo feels his heart soar at the sight of the crown, reaching out to take it. "Thank you, Techno. I.." he slips it onto his head, grinning when it fits perfectly. "I don't know what to say, I.."

"Consider it rent," Techno smiles. "And you know, Ranboo," Techno looks away from him. "You're the second person who hasn't treated me like I'm just a weapon. You treat me like I'm a real person, too. Sometimes I forget that I'm not just a sword, and you and Phil, you guys remind me that I'm more than that. And so are you," Techno looks back to him, smiling a little wider. "You're more than what people try to turn you into. So, uh..yeah. Enough with that mushy shit," he clears his throat. "It's just rent. Don't get the wrong idea, I definitely wasn't warmin' up to you, or anythin'. My heart is as cold as ever." Ranboo barks out a laugh, ducking his head, surprised when the crown doesn't even move. 

"It's just rent," he agrees. "Nothing more than that." Ranboo wonders when they'll be able to admit to each other that they actually care. That the both of them care about each other. He knows that it's so much easier to just pretend like they don't, it's so much easier to not get attached, but Ranboo thinks that they're long past that. He understands that it's hard, and it _has_ to be even harder for Techno. Ranboo wishes that it wasn't as hard for his friend to show affection, that it wasn't as scary as it is. 

Ranboo understands more than he'd like to. 

Last time he got close to people, they started to turn on him. They tried to kill him, they tried to make him suffer and hurt and bleed and _die_. No one wanted him as anything more than a tool after they found out that they could use him. Ranboo wonders how long it's been since Techno had a real friend. Since he had someone he could trust, other than Phil. Ranboo thinks that it's been far too long. No one should be used as a weapon, _no one_. It doesn't matter who they are, he thinks, no one deserves to feel like they're not a human, like all they're useful for is what they can do, not because of who they are.

"We're real people," Ranboo murmurs. "We're always going to be more than what they make of us, Techno. Just because everyone acts like we're tools doesn't mean that we actually are. I think that, uh.." he swallows. "I think we're so much more than what we think we are. I know it's hard to get out of that mindset, but..I think we'll be able to. We've got each other after all, right?"" 

Techno is silent for a few long moments, staring firmly down at the ground. "You're right, Ranboo. You're right, and I think that I might start believin' you if you keep repeatin' that to me. But, uh.." Techno looks back up, smiling at him. "Yeah. It's just rent." 

Ranboo smiles along with him, reaching up to touch his crown, reminding himself that it's there, that Techno trusts him. 

He knows that it'll be a long time before either of them are able to sleep with both eyes closed around the other, but until then, Ranboo is more than content with what he has right now. 

He's more than content with _who_ he's got, and he thinks that he always will be. There's something about Techno that makes their friendship so easy, and Ranboo wishes that he knew what it was. Whenever he's around the man, he feels safe, like he's put at ease. He knows that he used to be terrified of him, that he used to be so scared of Techno and what he could do, and then he just _stopped_. Ranboo stopped being scared of him after he heard Techno sob in his bedroom, Phil barely managing to comfort him and calm him down. 

Ranboo would like to think that he's good at not seeing people as tools, but when he first met Techno, all he saw was a sword personified, violence given form. He hates himself for thinking like that, but now, now he knows better. Techno is more human than anyone else Ranboo has ever met. He's got feelings and a heart and morals, and he's so unbelievably kind when it comes to people he trusts. 

Ranboo thinks that, in a few months, they might be able to stop considering their gifts to each other as rent. Maybe one day they'll stop having to lie to themselves and each other about how much they truly care, about how lost they would be without the other. Ranboo thinks that one day, they'll both end up alright. When the war ends and they're finally free, both of them will be able to admit that they're friends, that they don't keep each other around only because they don't have a choice. 

Though, until then, Ranboo thinks, he doesn't mind. 

Until that day comes, he's more than willing to pretend. 

After all, it's just rent, right? 


End file.
